[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 17704]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               2006 LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS

  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I rise today to encourage my colleagues 
to join Senator Isakson and me in supporting a resolution 
congratulating the 2006 Little League World Series Champions, the 
Columbus Northern Little League team of Columbus, GA.
  On August 28, 2006, the Columbus Northern Little League team defeated 
the Kawaguchi Little League of Japan by a score of 2-1 and concluded 
their season with an impressive record of 20 wins and only 1 loss. And 
when you consider the fact that more than 7,000 Little League all-star 
teams took the field in July, you realize the magnitude of this 
accomplishment.
  Their talent, hard work, and sportsmanship allowed them to become the 
second team from the State of Georgia to win the Little League World 
Series, and in doing so they captured the hearts of people across 
Georgia and in many parts of the Nation who love the game of baseball.
  As a former Little League coach during the years that Julianne and I 
were raising our children in Moultrie, I was so proud to participate in 
the longstanding tradition of Little League Baseball as a coach for my 
son's team--the Destiny Dawgs. There is no question that this great 
arena of sportsmanship, founded in 1939, builds confidence, 
determination, and hard work in youth.
  And since the inception of the Little League World Series in 1947, it 
has grown to encompass not only national teams, but teams from all 
around the globe.
  I would like to recognize the 11 young men of the Columbus Northern 
Team individually for their great accomplishment: Matthew Hollis, Ryan 
Lang, Mason Myers, Matthew Kuhlenberg, Patrick Stallings, Josh Lest, 
Brady Hamilton, Cody Walker, J.T. Phillips, Kyle Rovig, and Kyle 
Carter, who became the only pitcher in Little League Baseball World 
Series history to win four games in one series. Their manager Randy 
Morris and their coach Richard Carter deserve strong recognition for 
guiding these young players to victory.
  And I would be remiss if I didn't recognize the teachers and students 
of these young men's schools, and the fans who represented their 
community and the State of Georgia with such enthusiasm and support.
  It is with great pride that I extend my heartfelt congratulations to 
the Columbus Northern Team and their families. Columbus, the city that 
produced Major Leaguers Frank Thomas and Tim Hudson, now has a few more 
heroes to celebrate. I am extremely proud of them and their 
accomplishments and wish them great success in the future. I urge my 
colleagues to support this resolution.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia is recognized.
  Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleague, 
Senator Chambliss, in support of the resolution honoring the Columbus 
Northern Little League, the Little League World Series champions for 
the year 2006.
  I am particularly honored to pay tribute to them because this is deja 
vu all over again for me; in 1983 another Georgia team, the East 
Marietta team, where I live, was the first Georgia team to win the 
Little League World Series. So now, in just 60 years, 2 of the 60 
champions have come from our great State.
  Saxby and I had the chance to meet these fine young men with the 
President of the United States just last week on Thursday on the tarmac 
at Dobbins Air Force Base. They were poised, they were excited, and 
they were proud.
  I also pay tribute to the parents of these young men. If you watched 
the championship game against the State of New Hampshire when they won 
the American title, before they went on to play Japan, you saw the 
parents of these young men, right before the game, sharing their 
baskets of Georgia peaches with the parents of the New Hampshire team, 
just as they did with the Japanese team 2 days later. The parents 
showed the sportsmanship and good will and the care and the compassion 
that makes Little League Baseball so special.
  These are special young men: Matthew Hollis, second baseman and 
center fielder; Ryan Lang, right fielder; Mason Meyers, right field and 
third base; Matthew Kuhlenberg, left field; Patrick Stallings, third 
base; Josh Lester, second base and shortstop; Brady Hamilton, first 
base, outfield, and pitcher; Cody Walker, catcher; Kyle Carter, 
pitcher; J. T. Phillips, shortstop and pitcher; and Kyle Rovig, left 
field and pitcher. And there was the management and leadership brought 
by manager Randy Morris and coach Richard Carter.
  These fine young men played wonderful baseball all the way through 
the tournament. But in those final two games against New Hampshire and 
Japan, they soared and played like true professionals--young men who 
had been taught well, who were respectful, and who knew how to pay the 
price for victory.
  Columbus Northern is our State's second team to win the Little League 
World Series. Kyle Carter, the pitcher, made history by striking out 11 
batters and became the first pitcher in history to win 4 times in the 
Little League World Series.
  We cannot forget Cody Walker's hitting--with the pitch and where it 
was pitched--and knocking a two-out pitch over the fence in right field 
for the two runs that won the game over Japan, nor can we forget the 
great second baseman workmanship of Josh Lester nor any of these fine 
young men who brought great pride to their State, great pride to their 
parents, and great pride to the great city of Columbus, GA.
  I am pleased to rise today on the floor of the Senate and join 
Senator Chambliss in acknowledging the great achievement of these young 
men and encourage the Senate to unanimously adopt this resolution of 
recognition and appreciation for the Columbus Northern Little League 
team.
  Mr. President, I yield back.

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